planting shallots

[setter4]

I got some lovely shallots in the seed exchange but I have a problem...I have never planted shallots before.
I am in zone 5b. Do I want to put these in now or should I wait and plant them in the fall?

 

[digitS']

Don't wait until Fall . . .

I pull the bulbs out of the garden about the 1st of August. They go into a basket and into an unheated garage for the winter. It seems likely that they could have stayed out in the garden all winter but I've never done that. I do however risk them freezing in the garage and there's no question that this happens every year.

Last year was my first to try growing shallots from seed rather than bulbs. They did well! I've never, ever had a shallot bloom in my garden despite growing them for nearly 20 years. I wonder if this new variety will bloom . . . that would be interesting.

Plant 'em out early. You can crowd 'em together a fair amount - shallots are small plants. Give 'em some nice fertilizer and weed carefully so as not to rip the little things out of the ground while they are trying to grow.

If you have enuf, you can pull and eat the green shallots. Otherwise, allow 'em to go until late summer when the tops die back, like the bulb onions. Then enjoy all the surplus in at the table (really, there never seems to be enuf ). Save some bulbs for spring and . . . . keep on, keepin' on !

Steve

 

[smom1976]

plant when most of the frozen ground is done being frozen.

I put mine in the ground already and they are growing nicely..

 

[setter4]

plant when most of the frozen ground is done being frozen.

I put mine in the ground already and they are growing nicely..

You're in the sunny south...no fair! lol
Up here in the frozen north I guess I better wait a couple of weeks yet.
I am anxious to see how they do since this is a new crop for me.

 

[vfem]

I have those onion seeds going inside in peat pots Setter.... they are going REALLY well, REALLY fast. I'm going to get the pots in the ground at the end of the month. I wouldn't think shallots were much different then onions. Though before today I never tried either.

 

[setter4]

I have those onion seeds going inside in peat pots Setter.... they are going REALLY well, REALLY fast. I'm going to get the pots in the ground at the end of the month. I wouldn't think shallots were much different then onions. Though before today I never tried either.

Glad to hear the seeds are doing well.
I'm starting my onions tomorrow. Our GD is coming over and she and I are having a gardening day.

 

[smom1976]

hey how did those shallots turn out.. did you plant them?

Mine grew in like 3 or 4 days .. now they are plenty..